Walewice Palace

On 4 May 1810, Alexandre Colonna-Walewski, son of Countess Maria Walewska and Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, was born in the palace at Walewice. The child of a love affair that all Europe talked about later became French ambassador in London and foreign minister under Napoleon III. The neoclassical palace on the Mroga river is considered one of the finest late 18th-century country houses in Poland, and next to it is the country's largest stud farm for Anglo-Arab half-bred horses.

History: from the Walewskis to the Grabińskis

The palace was built in 1773–1783 by Anastazy Walewski, chamberlain to King Stanisław August Poniatowski. The design is attributed to Hilary Szpilowski or Stanisław Zawadzki; sources differ. Alexandre Walewski inherited the estate but sold it in 1831 to Maria's brother, Teodor Łączyński.

In the mid-19th century Walewice passed to the Grabiński family. They modernised the palace and established an Anglo-Arab stud, Poland's only karakul sheep farm and over 100 hectares of fish ponds. On the night of 9–10 September 1939, during the Battle of the Bzura, the 17th Greater Poland Uhlan Regiment fought for the palace and village. After 1945 the estate was taken over by the state.

What to see

• A Palladian layout: a two-storey main block linked by galleries to two side pavilions.
• A portico of four Ionic columns with a triangular pediment bearing the Grabiński family's Pomian coat of arms.
• The Napoleon Apartment and historic rooms with fireplaces; one pavilion retains 19th-century painted wallpaper with mythological scenes.
• The landscape park designed by Walerian Kronenberg, with sandstone statues of Mars, Venus and Diana and two herms.
• A cemetery of cavalrymen killed in 1939, near the palace.

Did you know?

The 1966 comedy "Marysia and Napoleon" was filmed at Walewice, as were scenes from the TV series "The Enchanted Manor" and "The Połaniecki Family". The stud keeps around 130 horses, and Walewice horses are sold to breeders in France, the home country of the Anglo-Arab breed.

Tripto tip

The palace also operates as a hotel with a restaurant, so it is best to arrange a visit to the interiors with the staff in advance. A walk in the park and a look at the horses make a good plan for 1–2 hours. The palace sometimes closes for private events, so check the website before you go. Walewice lies in the Bielawy district, about 20 km from Łowicz; combine your visit with the Łowicz Ethnographic Park in Maurzyce.